Cech named to first-ever National Commission on Forensic Science

On Jan. 10, the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced appointments to a newly created National Commission on Forensic Science.

Members of the commission will work to improve the practice of forensic science by developing guidance concerning the intersections between forensic science and the criminal justice system. The commission also will work to develop policy recommendations for the U.S. Attorney General, including uniform codes for professional responsibility and requirements for formal training and certification.

University of Colorado Boulder Distinguished Professor and Nobel laureate Thomas Cech is one of 32 commissioners chosen from a pool of more than 300 candidates.

The commission includes federal, state and local forensic science service providers; research scientists and academics; law enforcement officials; prosecutors, defense attorneys and judges; and other stakeholders from across the country.